


A Study in Lickitungs

by nutextrordinaire



Series: The Adventures of Poke!Lock [1]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Case Fic, Drama, Homosexuality, Hurt, Hurt/Comfort, I Blame Tumblr, M/M, Male Slash, Multi, Poke!lock, Pokemon - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-08-03
Updated: 2013-08-04
Packaged: 2017-12-22 08:38:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/911155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nutextrordinaire/pseuds/nutextrordinaire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a world where pokemon and humans co-exist, there are many stories to be told, but this one is of particular importance. Two unlikely men, and their pokemon collided together on what seemed like coincidence, proves to be one of the longest lasting stories in human and pokemon history.  It is a story of friendship, love, trust, and above all wonderful adventures.  It all started in the city of London, but before we get to that fateful meeting some ground must be laid to pave the way for the adventures ahead.  We start with a man and his pokemon and their names were John Watson, Flash (Arcanine), and Duncan (Braviary).</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue; John, Flash, and Duncan

**Author's Note:**

> This is a prologue set up for John's life up to where he meets up with Sherlock. This first story of the series and to follow will follow the beats of the BBC episodes with obviously, pokemon.

In a world where pokemon and humans co-exist, there are many stories to be told, but this one is of particular importance. Two unlikely men, and their pokemon collided together on what seemed like coincidence, proves to be one of the longest lasting stories in human and pokemon history. It is a story of friendship, love, trust, and above all wonderful adventures. It all started in the city of London, but before we get to that fateful meeting some ground must be laid to pave the way for the adventures ahead. We start with a man and his pokemon and their names were John Watson, Flash (Arcanine), and Duncan (Braviary). 

\-----

London had changed so much in nearly the two decades he had been away. Well, He also changed a great deal. John was a man now, and much more mature in the understanding of the world around him. He had been sent away to the Pokemon league in northern Scotland when he was ten, waving his parents and baby sister good-bye carefully as he tried to keep a hold of his birthday present, an eight-week-old growlithe.

During those early years he trained with others his age, helping their Professor complete his PokeDex and thesis on the relationship of pokemon and their fellow trainers. As a young boy, and beginning trainer, he developed a strong connection with Flash, never really wanting to catch more than that first growlithe that he received. The other boys and girls his age seemed to want to catch every pidgey, pidove, and mareep in sight, but he was quite content with his little furball.

As the years went on, he began traveling the highlands route, aiming to take on the Scottish Elite Four. In those days he was so young and naïve, eager for adventure and danger. He managed to get 5 of the 8 badges he needed to compete when tragedy struck the nation, and they were dragged into a war with the Middle East.

There was a sense of patriotism that ran through many of his fellow trainers, answering the call to arms released by the armed pokemon forces. John was 16 at the time, and his growlithe was in his prime with one of the strongest fiercest flamethrowers known through the trainer league. Many had suggested that he evolve it into an arcanine, even supplied him with a firestone after blasting away the fifth gym leader’s bellossom. 

He hadn’t wanted to at first, what if Flash’s temperament changed? What if he turned too powerful for John to control? John had seen too many trainers, battling them even, with recently evolved pokemon who wouldn’t listen to their commands. He didn’t want to lose his best friend. 

John also knew when he signed up for the army that once they realized the strength of his growlithe, he would be forced to evolve it to take full advantage of the tactical power behind the flames. He couldn’t put Flash in such a position, and so when he signed up he signed up to be on the medical team, recovering and assisting wounded soldiers. 

This bought him some time away from the front lines, 8 years to be exact. The army paid for his medical schooling, where he specialized in pokemon and human treatment after the battles, and general sicknesses as well. By the time he was done with all his medical training, and boot camp, John was just 24 and had just received the rank of captain for his training.

It was not long after that he was sent to the front lines in Afghanistan, taking command of the medical team near where most of the action was happening. He was given a recently evolved Braviary as a secondary comrade to back up Flash, and though the bird was young, John was told that he was one of the best of his species in upbringing and skills. Later on, from one of his underlings he learned the truth that, Duncan (his new Braviary), was the general’s sons’ Rufflet at first, but when he evolved the son could no longer control the Braviary no matter what the son tried.

Duncan did not like him at first, in fact when he was let out of his pokeball, the braviary decided to try and attempt to peck his eyes out in sheer disgust. Flash was there to protect him, and after a rather hard flame burst into the chest of Duncan that sent him hurtling a good ten feet away, and unable to recover the order of dominance was sorted out. At first though it was rough going, Duncan had not respected him that much, only the bare minimum when it came to not wanting to be attacked by the arcanine that was John’s vigil and best friend. 

That is the way it had been for several years in fact; six years of an unsteady alliance that seemed to be going nowhere between the trio, as the war raged on. It was not until a fateful mission that had John on a recon mission to retrieved some injured soldiers and their pokemon. By the time he had arrived, it looked like everyone was dead, even the pigeot that was the reigning king of their platoon on a pokemon level. 

John, Flash, and Duncan still spread out to see if there were any chance of finding survivors, but as night fell, it seemed the enemy had returned. John had found one soldier barely hanging on, of the ten that were sent out on this patrol, but he had a serious wound. It looked like he had been the target of one hellishly strong hyper beam. He was trying to tend to him when the firing began again. Flash and Duncan had immediately rushed to his side to try and protect their master like they had been trained to. 

Duncan was the first to be hit, he got a bullet to the wing as he tried to push the attackers back with the technique called Aerial Ace. Duncan slammed into the dunes not more than a few yards away from where Flash was giving fire protection for John and his patient. Immediately though, John dashed for the fallen comrade and managed just in time to jump in the way of finishing bullet seed attack from an enemy ivysaur. The seeds had dug into the back of his shoulder and caused him to topple over his whining braviary, who once realized what happened and understood what he meant to John. That changed their relationship from then on.

Flash followed up shortly after, but was severely over powered in this desert, and had no way to get his favorite pain-in-the-ass bird pokemon and human brother back to camp. The growlithe knew what he had to do, and knew that John still carried that firestone from years ago. 

The little furball launched himself onto his human brother, and rummaged through his pockets carefully, not wanting to cause John anymore pain, but needing to find what he knew John held. In that time of dire need, Flash pulled the stone out with his teeth and allowed the evolution to take place. John was muttering no, over and over again, he had not wanted his best friend to evolve at any costs.

In that moment of bravery though, the growlithe evolved into a massive beast, an arcanine. He roared as loud as he could, and actually caused a moment of cease fire from the strength behind the voice. Arcanines were actually very rare, especially in the army. Not many kids, or soldiers wanted a small pup on their journey, and growlithes were usually just family pets, never to be evolved and trained properly. 

Flash, in his new found form, managed to carefully get both the injured and now unconscious John, as well as Duncan who had fainted, and bring them back to the camp. 

It took many weeks before they were able to airlift John and his pokemon to a hospital back in the UK, just outside of London. It was many weeks later that he was officially discharged from the army with a couple medals and an army pension, back to adjust to civilian life. 

He had been given a room in one of the half-way houses that supported wounded soldiers for a couple months until they could get back on their feet. John had a bit more trouble than most, he had to go down to the Scotland Yard and get the paperwork of having two fairly large pokemon in his company, and having it authorized. The looks they gave him, a gimp with a cane being followed by a very large arcanine that to the untrained eye looked extremely pissed off (all the time), and a braviary who had a very similar neutral expression. The rehab seemed easier than that paperwork, and definitely cost less than all the permits he needed. 

Both Flash and Duncan needed to be printed, tagged, and be wearing a collar that had tags on at all times, even when they were in their pokeballs. John was forced to pay nearly half of his monthly pension on those permits, and even with all his pension monthly checks he couldn’t afford a decent flat on his own in London.

He was just contemplating this as he was in Regent’s park, sipping quietly on his coffee that he got from Criteon’s Coffee Shop. Dazing out as Flash ran about after Duncan who was circling above him lazily. 

“John? John Watson?” He snapped to attention at the mention of his name, looking up to see a portly gentleman who looked somewhat familiar behind those glasses perched on nose.

“Yes?” He tried to sound cautious, quiet. John really did not want to be bothered today. 

“It’s me, Mike Stamford!” He said cheerfully, sitting down next to John on the bench, at least being careful enough to move the cane closer to John. The ex-soldier hated that thing.

“Yes, Hello Mike.” 

“I heard you were out somewhere getting shot at. What happened?” He seemed genuinely wanting to know, and definitely wasn’t taking the hint that John was trying to give in that he wanted to be left alone. Not reminiscing about the pre-war days.

“I got shot.” He grounded out. Flash wandered over, and John saw that he was sizing Mike up, considering whether to attack the fellow or not. John twitched his fingers in a silent, no. He didn’t need to have Flash impounded for attacking a man without a pokemon in the middle of Regent’s Park.

“You haven’t lost your sense of humor, I see.” Mike was grinning, laughing jovially. 

“I see you finally evolved Flash! He’s gotten big.” Mike reached out and ran his fingers through the arcanine’s white mane, who seemed to be slightly annoyed by it. 

“So, are you staying in town?” Mike asked, as he saw Duncan land on Flashs’ back, and immediately withdrew his hand almost fearfully as the bird pokemon glared down at him menacingly. The Braviary, who was overly protective now of both Flash and John, had no qualms about sending a direct warning, that the man would loose a hand if he continued with his current action.

“Ah, no, I can’t afford a place in London. Not on an army pension, and with the bills from having a breviary and arcanine at my side. London’s rules on carrying pokemon have changed a lot since I was last here.” The last part was said rather bitterly.

“Couldn’t Harry help?”

“Yeah, that’s gonna happen.” He muttered nearly under his breathe in contempt and sarcasm.

“You know, you could always share a flat or something.” Mike was trying so hard to be helpful, even though he had not seen John since that year rotation in Medical School at St. Barts.

“Who’d want me for a flatmate?” He was getting annoyed now, and it only made it worse when Mike began smiling at him and his pokemon. 

“What?” John had to admit he was mildly curious as to where this was leading.

“Well, you are the second person to say that to me today.” John blinked.

“And, who was the first?” 

“Come on, follow me.”


	2. Sherlock Holmes and his Gengar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John meets a mystery man in the morgue lab of St. Barts, he has a Gengar. Then there is that squeaky young lady with a purple Audino. What weird world as he stepped into?

Thankfully Mike, whether knowingly or not, kept a decent enough pace for John to be able to keep up even with his cane, hobbling along. Flash following behind slowly, but ready to pounce for a shoulder to lean on should his partner falter. The first few days after rehab, John had used the strength and size of his arcanine a bit more than he cared to admit, but having a dog pokemon that was at least three inches taller than himself was a nice support. Duncan could even hold Johns’ weight if needed, though he was a bit shorter, he preferred not to do that though.

The braviary was now currently perched on Flash’s back, using him as transport. The bird pokemon was still healing much like his master and circling around the arcanine had been part of his rehab regiment, but now it seemed to have wore him out, or at the very least bored him to death being confined to a certain area of atmosphere. London was very cramping in space for both of John’s comrades, and the new civilian life definitely did not hold as much interest as that of in the deserts of war.

Mike had led the trio to St. Barts, where John was forced to put the two pokemon in their perspective pokeballs. A six foot dog and a nearly five foot bird wandering into the ER was not really that good, and John knew he’d be breaking the rules of his permits a bit if he allowed them to just follow him into an area where the injured and sick were, no matter how well trained they may be in those types of areas.

“Sorry Flash, Duncan. I’ll let you out later again, okay?” He muttered to them apologetically as Mike awaited just inside, even John could tell he was slightly frightened by the combo after attempting to pet Flash earlier.

“So, Where is this person?” John asked. The portly acquaintance led him to one of the computer labs. The army captain couldn’t help but look around, trying to place what was the same as when he was in training. There wasn’t much.

“Bit different from my day.” He muttered as Mike held open the door one of the labs on the lower level by the morgue.

“You’ve no idea.” Mike grinned. That’s when John spotted the only other man in the lab. He had short curly black hair, and was sporting a black suit with a white collar. He seem to notice their presence, but John couldn’t help but stare at the Gengar peering just over the monitors, directly at them. It looked sinister, and well, John had never seen a Gengar in person before. It was about the height of Duncan. Its’ smile was unnerving.

“Mike, Can I borrow your phone? There’s no signal on mine.” He spoke, still not turning around. John blinked, so he had at least heard them.

“And what’s wrong with the landline?” Mike countered, raising an eyebrow. The gengar made a noise akin to a snorting laugh.

“I prefer to text.” The baritone voice replied calmly. John was beginning to wonder if he should bring out his Braviary, just as precaution. This situation was getting weirder by the second.

“Sorry, it’s in my coat.” Mike seemed utterly calm about the fact that the man was demanding a phone, and supposably his gengar was giving him a stare down like at any moment the ghost-type might send a Night Shade his way, that would knock him unconscious.

“Er, here… use mine.” John decided bravely, stepping forward towards the Gengar, leaning heavily on his cane, while his other hand went for the phone extending it out to the man who finally turned around to look at him. He had intense gray-blue eyes –catlike-, and skin that looked like death itself, but John presumed that was more of a normal state of his complexion.

“Oh, Thank you.” Within seconds the phone was out of his hands, and the mystery man was typing more quickly on that little device than John could ever consider thinking of. 

“This is an old friend of mine, John Watson.” Mike introduced him, but what was the mystery mans’ name? At this point, John was dying to know. Everything about him breathed interesting, fascinating, and different. It was a strange sort of attraction, and John had never experienced this type of interaction before, there was something about him. 

“Afghanistan or Iraq?” The baritone asked. John froze. What? He blinked, and struggled for a response.

“Sorry?” A lame one, but something none the less.

“Which one was it? In Afghanistan or Iraq?” The curly black haired man asked once more, seeming impatient this time. The Gengar approached them, standing just behind the suited baritone.

“Afghanistan. Sorry, how did you…?” He was still in a frozen state, how did he know? John didn’t even know his name yet! 

Before he had the chance to ask again for a response of any kind of how he knew, a small brunette came in with a white coat, followed by a little purple pokemon. A shiny Audino. John was still too baffled by the question before to realize that he was in the presence of a shiny pokemon, something he has NEVER seen before.

“Ah, Molly, coffee, thank you. What happened to the lipstick?” The suit man conversed with her calmly, swipping the coffee from the womans’ hands.

“It wasn’t working for me.” She squeaked, obviously nervous. John just stared, there was too much going on right now, and he knew nothing to make any sense of the situation. His jaw sort of just hung there for a moment.

“Really? I thought it was a big improvement, Your mouth’s too small now.” The Audino made a discontented noise slapping a paw against the woman’s hip as if to reprimand her.

“…Okay, okay.” She seemed to just realize all the other people in here. 

“Me and Toby will just be leaving now…” Toby must be the name of the Audino of hers’. With that the little squeaky woman vanished in a hurry; the other pokemon disappearing right behind her.

“How do you feel about the violin?” John turned his head sharply upwards towards the alabaster skinned man, blinking twice.

“I’m sorry, what?” He was baffled. If his jaw could drop a little more, it would have at that moment.

“I play the violin when I’m thinking and sometime I don’t talk for days on end. Would that bother you? Potential flatmates should know the worst about each other.” The other explained as if it was common knowledge to everyone. He looked at Mike suspiciously. On the way here, he didn’t see Mike use his phone in any way, but some how the man must have forwarned the other about this meeting. There was no other explanation.

“You told him about me?” He vocalized his assured explanation to the entire group.

“Not a word.” Mike was grinning like a cheshire purrolion! It was as if everyone in the room was in on the joke aside from John himself. He hated being left out.

“Then who says anything about flatmates?!” He accused looking directly towards the other.

“I did. Told Mike this morning I must be a difficult man to find a flatmate for. Now here he is, just after lunch, with an old friend clearly just home from military service in Afghanistan. Wasn't a difficult leap.” The baritone explained, again condescendingly. When it was put like that though, it made John feel like an idiot for not seeing it, but there had to be more to it.

“How did you know about Afghanistan?” That was still not clarified, at least to John’s knowledge. Though this entire experience seemed mentally overwhelming, it was exciting, exhilarating. He liked it as much as he disliked it.

“Got my eyes on a nice little place in central London, we ought to be able to afford it. We’ll meet there tomorrow evening seven o’clock. Sorry, got to dash, I think I left my riding crop in the mortuary.” The deep baritone continued, skipping his question entirely. He was about to leave. The Gengar was already up and out the door before the mystery man. The little ghost pokemon was fast and light on its feet.

“Is that it?” John inquired, more than slightly frustrated. 

“Is that what?” The other asked, dark eyebrows raising just slightly, he was almost already halfway out the door.

“We've only just met, and we’re going to go and look at a flat?” This was going really fast. He didn’t think by the end of today he’d have a flat possibility, or for that matter a roommate. 

“Problem?” The other was getting impatient, like he was late for an appointment. John was still baffled enough not to give a damn.

“We don’t know a thing about each other. I don’t know where we’re meeting, I don’t even know your name.” John demanded logically.

“I know you’re an Army doctor, and you've been invalided home from Afghanistan with your Arcanine and Braviary. You've got a brother worried about you, but you won’t go to him for help, because you don’t approve of him, possibly because he’s an alcoholic, more likely because he recently walked out on his wife and abandoned his pokemon, and I know your therapist thinks your limp's psychosomatic, quite correctly, I’m afraid. That’s enough to be going on with, don’t you think ? The name is Sherlock Holmes, and the address is 221B Baker Street. Afternoon.” And with that quick explanation, Sherlock was out of the room and off doing something else leaving John slack jawed staring at the space where he just was for a few seconds longer before turning to Mike silently asking a question.

“Yeah, he’s always like that.” John finally shut his mouth again, and silently was going over the decision to actually go and meet this Sherlock Holmes or not. He was an interesting fellow, so it was worth a shot. That and John was THAT desperate.

“Ah, okay. I guess…it’s worth a shot.” He shrugged towards Mike.

“He’s brilliant, but sometimes his people skills are shit.” Mike warned slightly. John nodded.

“Thanks for the lead anyways, Mike. See you later?” He waved and left the man, itching to get out of the hospital to let his pokemon roam beside him again. 

John much preferred it when Flash and Duncan were by his side, now more than ever with his disability. The confusion, frustration, and slight fear that came with coming back to civilian life, everything was tossed up and chaos ensued. Army life seemed so much easier; get up, train, help patients, eat, and sleep. There was no uncertainty in that life, no time for it. Now, when he had so much on his hands, all he could think about was the uncertainty, and the darkness in his mind. The nightmares of his comrades that day he got injured got the worst of him, Mr. Holmes was dead right when he said that John had a therapist, but to be honest it wasn’t helping, and he was beginning to become desperate. Sleeping had grown difficult, he could only do so now on the floor next to Flash’s fur, it seemed to calm him enough. That or if John drank himself into passing out into a dreamless sleep, though he often woke up with Flash nuzzled around his smaller human form, and John had been hugging him ferociously in his sleep. It must have caused his arcanine pain, but Flash never complained and he kept doing it.

He spent the rest of that afternoon wandering the streets with Flash and Braviary wandering just in front of him, letting them get their energy out before their appointed meeting.

When seven finally rolled around he was just reaching the Baker street location. Mr. Holmes was already there.

“Well this is a prime spot. Must be expensive.” He said as a way of a greeting, a bit more confident in his grounding this time because Flash was standing right next to him, being just as tall and quite a bit more fearsome than the tall stick of grass by the name of Sherlock Holmes. Even more so now that Duncan was perched on Flash’s back, adding to the back-up should he require it. Also the Gengar didn’t appear to be present.

“Mrs. Hudson, the landlady, is giving me a special deal. She owes me a favour. A few years back her husband got himself sentenced to death in Florida. I was able to help out.” He replied, not appearing to be threatened by the two large war pokemon standing next to the possible flat mate he had spoken with earlier. 

“You stopped her husband from being executed?” John was curious about that particular information reveal.

“Oh, no. I ensured it.” This Sherlock Holmes was a very cocky fellow. John nodded quickly before doing a double take, as the other knocked on the door. Before he could ask further, an elderly woman appeared at the door, and as soon as she recognized the one on the foot step the short woman pulled Sherlock into a hug before ushering him in.

“This is John Watson, Mrs. Hudson.” Sherlock waved a hand in his direction before disappearing up the steps, leaving John with the older woman.

“I guess I should ask about your conditions about pokemon partners in the flat before I proceed further.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Characters and Pokemon Partners known;  
> John Watson; Arcanine (Flash) and Braviary (Duncan)  
> Mike Stamford; None  
> Sherlock Holmes; Gengar (name unknown)  
> Molly Hooper (squeaky girl); Purple Audino (Toby)
> 
> Also you might recognize the dialogue from Study in Pink written by Steven Moffat.  
> Feedback, as usual, is greatly appreciated.

**Author's Note:**

> Next on SiL, we meet Sherlock, and maybe his pokemon. Stay Tune! Please review, and give feedback, this is my first time with a complete AU Fusion story, but there is not enough Poke!Lock out there and I couldn't take it anymore!


End file.
